One Year Sober: January 4, 2017

Only A Little Bitter

Today marks the one year anniversary of my quitting drinking, cold turkey.

Give or take the leap second which was added to the atomic clock this year.

I haven't given up cold turkey, though, I ate almost an entire bird that way, this past Thanksgiving (nor have I given up corny jokes)

And, I have had alcohol in the house just about the whole time!!!, in the form of a little vial of "bitters" that was given to me by David the water jug player shortly after I had quit.

Like the Trojan horse, I brought it into my house and was about to drink it one evening, thinking that it was an herbal extraction. David hadn't mentioned the 92 proof that it was, as per the fine print that I studied more closely after smelling it.

I have had alcohol in the house just about the whole time!!!

That could have led me to impulsively run down the street an hour later for a half pint of something to scratch the itch that I had implanted.

Then, I would become a nightly drinker, again, who would always have some juice on me, before I even had any food on me, so David would have one more "please tell me you've got a swallow on you" option walking around the Quarter.

I could even kiss and make up with Leslie Thompson in that scenario; he does get government money each month, and is very generous with it towards those who might get money nightly, perhaps by busking, and who look out for him through those last 12 days or so after he has run dry each month -you get me wasted, and when I get my check, I'll return the favor; that way we can both maintain unhealthy levels of intoxication, without interruption, until it catches up to us, either through the occurrence of health problems or something either directly, or indirectly, related to having "started something" with the wrong person when in a drunken range...or, of course, being hit by a car...that Leslie Thompson.

I don't think David meant any harm through his gift of the vial. He seems to truly believe that the alcoholic is fighting a losing battle when he tries to go sober, and that it's a sin against his nature..."you know you want it, but you're denying it to yourself, you need to let go and let God, this is what we're meant to do!"

I am thankful, though, for the past year, if maybe just a little bitter...